Cross-groovers for tires



b11 14, 1936- F. ERRIG h m. y 2,-Q28,0 53

cRoss GROOVER FOR TIRES I ll "I": (Ill! III! I l u III I III '11 Q myzurqns i MlliamZEvqQ 680? flundt,

4- ae w ATTORNEY.

Pumas-Jib. 14.1936

PATENT OFFICE 2,028,053 CBOSSP GBOO'VERS FOB TIRES William F. Err-lg, Philadelphia, and'George'M. Pfnndt, Churchville, Pa., assignors to Peco Manufacturing'Coi-poration, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania J v Application June 1a,-19s5,serm mamas 11 Claims. (01. 90-24:.

Q Thisinvention relates to cross-grooving de-' vices, that is to say, means whereby transverse" cuts, in predetermined or variably spaced relation, may be accurately cut at right angles to a lengthwise dimension, orthe rotative plane'of a wheel tire for example.-

More specifically the present invention isdevised for the cross-grooving of solid, inflated or deflated, rubber tires of vehicles initially, or to effect re-grooving of such tires when worn or damaged so that their trac'tive efllciency may be restored.

The primary object of the is to provide a tire groover oithe indicated type which will positively effect the cross-grooving or re-grooving of a vehicle tire, with grooves of even depth transversely of said tire, in a minimum of time and with a corresponding saving of labor.

Another object is to provide a tire cross-' 'groover or re-groover' which will eillciently groove or re-cut any standard size of tire with a minimum of adiustment in accommodating it to different depths and lengthsof grooves lat erally of thetiie, while accurately following the transverse curvature or tread thereof.

A further object is to provide a tire crossveniently, although not :essentially, pivotally groover which will out multiple cross-grooves or slots at one and the same time with positive assurance that each-of suchgrooves is of the requisite depth and all of which are uniformly spaced.

A still further object is the provision of across-groover for tires and analagous usage whichmay be operatively set-up in any convenient location where avehicle tire requiring.

re-grooving, more particularly, can be rotatively supported therebelow; or a device which is readily attachable to and cooperative with a tire grooving machine of the character disclosed v in our prior Patent No. 1,916,258, dated July 4,

Other objects and ancillary advantages of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter, when considered in connection with the accompanying sheets of drawings; while it is to be clearly understood the subject-matter hereof is not confined to the exact features shown and described, various changes being readily made within the scope of what is later on particularly claimed, without departure from the spirit of our improvements or the restrictions imposed by prior art.

In the drawings: a v

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a practical eminstant invention track 2 i bodiment of the present invention, supported in operative relaticnto a fragmentary portion of a conventional vehicle tire of the pneumatic variety, and with'a portion of the manipulating member broken-oi! for ease in illustration. 5'

Fig. 2 is a. side elevation of thesame-with parts in section to better disclose hereinafter explained features of construction.

Fig. 3 is a section taken approximately onthe plane designated 3-3 in Fig. 2. 10 Fig. 4 is side elevation of one form of holder for cutting plural grooves.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the same, or looking toward the right-hand of the preceding illustration. 5

. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the mounted at -l I, to stationary means l2; such as the hanger I! and end members i3 of the patent 30 hereinbefore referred to. r r The support It is preferably disposed hori: zontal and affords bearing for the base or carrier i3 of the novel cross-groover forming the. instant subject-matter. This carrier I3 is conveniently of the somewhat channel cross-sec-- tion best understood from Fig. 2, for slidable engagement along the. grooved edges H of the support Ill, so as to ensure rigidity when'adjusted,

aslater on explained; while it is provided at one 40 end (the right-hand in the embodiment shown) with a vertically-directed apertured portion I6,

,having a pivot pin. Hi secured therein by means of a lock-screw I], for a purpose hereinafter explained.

Integrally formed with the carrier I3 is a projecting downwardly-directed and laterally-inclined arm l8 having .at its free end a transverse flange or head l9 to which is conveniently attached, as by securing means 20, an arcuate This track 2i, it is to be particularly noted is formed with its lower edge of a curvature intermediate the tread cross-sectional curvatures of the standard tire-sections so that tires of ordinary usage can all be cross-grooved N with our improved device without the necessity of substituting a different track 2| and associated means, as later on again referred to; while said track is formed or provided with an enlargement or runner portion 22.

Adapted for reciprocatory coaction with the track 2| is a block or carriage 23 of somewhat U-shaped cross-section, as best shown in Fig. 2, the shorter leg 24 which is of a depth corresponding withthat the rimner 22, and said carriage is operatively engaged with the track shoe 28, the lower lateral portion of which is suitably-shaped for seating on and following the cross or transverse tread-surface of avehicle tire, as best understood from Fig. 3; whereby the cutting of cross grooves of even' depth relative to the tire tread-curvature is positively ensured. The frontal portion 21 is also verticallygrooved for reception of a radially-directed slide member 29, to the lower end of which is secured, as by a clamp-screw 30, a cutter-holdervblock 3|, and said slide member is resiliently sustained through the medium of a pin 32 projecting laterally from one side into a vertical screw-threaded bore 33, intermediate a cushioning spring 34 and an adjuster screw 35. Thus it will be readily understood that the cutterhol der 3| is normally held supported intermediate the adjuster screw 35 and the spring 34.

The cutter-holder block 3| of Figs. 1-5 inclusive, it will be seen, is shouldered at 38 for rigid coaction with the lower end of the slide member 29, while it is provided at its lower part with predeterminedly-spaced paralleling lugs 31 affording shoulder 31' for abutment of the upper edges of a pair of relatively-staggered cuttingblades 38 secured thereto h: set screws 39. Each of these blades is preferably made of suitable sheet metal and embodies a head or attaching section 38 with a depending somewhat hooklike cutter portion 48. As best appreciated from Figs. 4 and 6, it will be observed that the knife edge 4| of each cutting blade 38 is formed with differently inclined surfaces 42, 43, the former or forward 42 of which is directed at anangle for eflicient cutting while the latter or trailing 43 is at an obtuse-angle relative thereto, and

'serves during the cutting operation to project the strip cut out to form a cross-groove awayfrom, or from-recoiling thereinto, which recoiling we have noted is a serious objection common to known grooving devices.

Fulcrumed on the pin l8 hereinbefore referred to is the forked end of an operating member 44 to the free end of which is attached, by acurved bracket 45 and set screw 46, the pivoted manipulator to keep the wrist of the operator. at all times in easy operative alignment with the direction of efiort, or handle 41 to obviate wrist fatigue; while said member 44 is provided with a downwardly extending arm 48, operativelycoordinated to the carriage 23, aforesaid by means of a connecting rod 48 having universal end-articulations 50, 58'.

Lateral'limitation of the cross-grooving operation, or the travel of the carriage 23 is controlled by means of opposing adjuster screws 5|,

52 adapted for coaction with a projection 53 at.

the forked end of the member 44; the former of said screws 5| threadedly engaging through a 2,028,053 lug 54 on'the arm [8 and the latter 52 being similarly mounted in an oflset 55 of the carrier base l3, and both of said screws are locked at the desired adjustment by thumb screws 58, in an obvious manner.

For centralizing the cutter carrier |3 relative to a tire t preparatory to effecting the crossgrooving operation we provide said carrier with a depending finger or index pointer 51 threadedly engaged therein, as best shown by Fig. 2, and provide a securing means 58 for clamping the carrier at the proper adjustment.

In the use of our improved cross-groover as above disclosed all that is primarily necessary is for the carrier I3 to be conveniently supported with capacity for lateral movement above a rotatably supported tire t" whereupon the operator centralizes the same relative to said tire by means of the index pointer 51, and tightens up the securing means 58. The reciprocatory travel of the carriage 23 is next set by means of the adjuster screws SI, 52 in an obvious manner, whereupon it will be clearly apparent that by swinging the member 44 from right to left, as viewed in the drawings, a pair of cross-grooves y can be cut in positive spacial parallelism directly-transverse of the tiretread surface with a minimum of effort, and. successively accomplished by incremental rotary movement of the tire t in any of the known ways. v

The modified cutter-holder 3| of Figs. 7 and 8 differs from that described in connection with the preceding views only in that it is adapted for carrying four "instead of two blades 88 in relatively staggered or stepped relation, accordingly all parts are similarly designated with corresponding reference indicia plus the exponent a, in order to obviate the necessity for unnecessary repetitive description. Further, it

will be readily appreciated that by provision and use of the modified cutter-holder 3|, that the cross-grooving of a tire, or the re-grooving thereof, where worn, can be rapidly effected in a minimum of time and with a corresponding saving of labor and overheadexpense, it being obvious that by proper location of the respective cutting blades 38 laterally and longitudinally. relative to the thread surface of a tire "t" that the effort requisite to effect actual grooving can be reduced to a minimum.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that various structural changes from the illustrated form of the invention canbe readily effected without departing from. the spirit oi said invention, while the scope of the following claims is correspondingly only limited by what the prior ,art demands.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a device of the type described the combination of a carrieradapted for support transversely of a progressively, rotatable article to be aoaaoss track supported iniadvance or andvbelow'the carrier, a carriage. movable on the arcuate track. ahead vertically adjustableiin the carriage andhavingplural cutters, and means comprising anoperating'arm pivotally' connected with the carrier and carriage to reciprocate the carriage over the arcuate track'to eflect the cross-grooving operation.

; bination of a carrier adapted torsupport trans-' versely above an intermittently rotatable the to be circumierentially -cross-grooved}. an arcuate" track supported in a lower plane by and in -ad-'-: vanceoi said carrier, a carriage onthe' arcua track; a resiliently-supported fhead vertically adjustable in the carriage and having; plural I cutters at its lower end, and means comprising an arm'having pivotal connection with-the-car. rier and carriage, whereby the' latter i s-recip .rocable over the arcuate track toeflectFthe-Z cross-grooving operation; ."f'j

4. In a device of bination of a carrier adapted ior-supporttrans-f versely above an incrementallylrotatablegtire-i-to be circumferentially wcross-groovem an ifiarcuah .tracksupported in 'a.-lower}planeby:in.

bination with a carrier adapted for support 3. Ina device of the'type describedthe com- -advance of said carrier, a carriage movable the arcuate track, 'aresiliently-supportedcutter' head vertically-adjustable in the; carriage; and supporting pluralhook' -like cutters at its; -lowe end, an L-shaped guide arranged? wonrisaid riage adjacent the head to limit the {depth cut, means swingably-supported by the carrier aforesaid and universally-coordinated to="the carriage whereby the latter is reciprocable over" the arcuate track transversely of the tireto eflect the cross-grooving operation, able means .on the ;carrler engageable;: with the swingably supported means for determining the extent'oi reciprocation for said carriage.-v

' 5. The combination 0! claimfliwherein the cutter tread is supported by e' snd memueri m 'a vertically-grooved portion orthe-carriagejsam member having alateralproiection' seating on a cushioning spring in a' slotted bore. inthe carriage. in opposition to an adjuster screwi determining the depth oi thecrom-groovesl I 6. ,The combination or claim wherein the means coordinating the carrier and carriageior reciprocation of thelatter comprise an operating universally-coupled to the carriage and. to the neeendcnaidmflncmember.

engagement by the operating member projection, and means whereby the' said screws can be secured at the requisite adjustment.

8. In a device oi the type described the combination of a carrier adapted for support transversely above an incrementally rotatable-tire to circumierentially cross-grooved, an arcuate track supported in a lower plane by and in advance of said carrier, a carriage movable along @the arcuate track, a resiliently-supported head vertically-adiustable-in the carriage and sup: portinggplural hook-like cutters at its lower end,

means 'swingabiy-supported by the carrier aforesaid and universally-coordinated to the carriage whereby the-latter is 'reciprocable over the arems track transversely of the tire. to direct the cross-grooving operation, adjustable means determining the extent of reciprocation for said carriage, and means whereby the carrier can be initially centralized relative to the tire tread.

9.-In a device of the class described, the comabove a rotatable tire to be cross grooved, a

track supported by the carrier, a carriage ,7. The combination of claim4 wherein the means determinin'gthe extent of travel for the carriage. comprise a projection on the operating A member, a lug on the carrier arm and an onset on said carrier, opposed adjuster screws threadedly engaged in said lug and oflset for alternate mounted on the track, means connecting the carrier and carriage to move the latter along the track, cutters on the carriage to eflect cross grooving oi the tire, and acentralized index pointer supported on the carrier-.2

10. A device as claimed in claim 9, wherein means are provided for locking. the carrier in varying positions oiadiustment.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination of a carrier for support transversely above an intermittently rotatable tire to be cir-' cumierentially cross grooved, an arcuate track supported in a lower plane by and in advance of the "carrier, a carriage vonthe track, a resiliently supported cutter head vertically adjustable in the carriage and having cutters at its lower end, means swingably supported by the carrier and universally coordinated with the carriage, whereby the carriage is reciprocable l over the track to eiIect the cross grooving-operation, and-adjustable means on the carrier engagable with the swingably supported means to limit the swinging movement thereof.

name. qnoncn m. From. 

